Breach of Faith
by LokiFire
Summary: CH4 up! An alien force has attacked the Irken Empire, but just how bad was the attack? Pretty bad, as Zim finds out. I redid the last part of CH3 a little bit.
1. Prologue

Have any of you guys ever had a story idea that you just couldn't get out of your head? You just had to write a story for that idea or go insane? Well, that's what brought this into being. I've had this idea stuck in my head for YEARS! I don't know how far I'll go with this or if I'll finish this, so I need your guys' input. HA! I laugh at the idea of ME writing a drama! Hahaha! ---See? That's me laughing.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Invader Zim. And if I did, I wouldn't tell ya.  
  
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Purple moaned as he stretched sleepily. He blinked slowly and looked around the bridge. Things had been slow on the Massive lately, and even things on the bridge seemed boring and dull. Purple hated being bored.  
  
He looked over at Red and growled irritably. Red was oblivious as he head banged to the music he was listening to over a pair of headphones. The music was blaring loud enough that Purple could make out the lyrics.  
  
Purple continued looking around the bridge, watching the various Irken soldiers at work, until something caught his eye.  
  
"Finally!" he said, leaning forward expectantly.  
  
Red paused his music to see what was going on. He followed Purple's gaze to the door, where a Foodcourtia delivery Irken stood. The Tallest watched as the tiny female paused to look around before hurrying up to them with their order.  
  
Purple snatched the food bag from her claws while Red took the drinks, and took a long sip of strawberry milkshake. The female stood where she was, looking up at them expectantly. After a few moments, Red finally got the message and handed her a few dollars. She thanked them and turned to leave, when the Massive gave a violent jolt, knocking her off her feet.  
  
Purple yelped as another lurch knocked him and Red to the floor. Red sputtered and choked on his shake, a curly fry dangling from his antenna. Irkens started yelling, their fingers flying over controls, as they tried to steady the ship and figure out what was wrong.  
  
"What happened? What's going on?" Red demanded, as he stood back up. As if in response, a klaxon sounded, signaling an intruder.  
  
Purple immediately started barking orders. "You! Get security! I wanna know who got in here and how! Call engineering and find out what's causing th-"  
  
Everyone paused and fell silent as the power went out, plunging the bridge into darkness. Silence reigned for a few moments until the emergency power came back on, bathing the room in soft red light as consoles came back on, accompanied by emergency lighting.  
  
Red quickly hovered over to one of the computer stations to talk to the security chief. Purple watched him go and looked around nervously, trying to decide what to do next. He raised a worried eyebrow as his eyes fell on the little delivery Irken. She still sat where she had fallen, a look of complete horror on her face. Purple's eyes widened when he realized she was staring at something behind him.  
  
He spun around, looking frantically for what the female was so afraid of. His jaw dropped and he felt his stomach start to knot up as he looked up to see a pair of beady black eyes, set over a set of long, jagged teeth.  
  
"Oh, shit..." 


	2. Midnight Stroll

GIR poised, weapons at the ready, anticipating the coming onslaught. At the moment, he was uncharacteristically sane, his normally blue eyes glowing crimson. He could hear the monsters lurking on the other side of the door. He didn't know where they had come from, but was determined to follow his master's orders to protect the base against their impending attack.  
  
The door suddenly opened, admitting the monstrous horde. GIR bravely rushed into the fray, screaming a primordial battle cry, bombarding the enemy with a spray of bullets. Monsters dropped like flies at the attack, crying out in both pain and fury. GIR rushed past his fallen foes, his focus on the door, his only means of escape.  
  
A large figure suddenly loomed in the doorway, causing GIR to skid to a stop. With a squeak, he quickly realized his danger and tried to run the other way, but to no avail. The little robot had barely taken a step back when a rocket, launched from the creature's mechanical arm, tore through his body. A gut wrenching scream filled the air as he fell dead.  
  
*************  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Zim jumped at GIR's sudden cry, banging his head on the console he was crouching under. He rubbed his head and glared at the robot, who was mourning his seventh consecutive death in his computer game, Doom. "GIR! Go upstairs and be quiet! I need to concentrate."  
  
GIR looked confused. "But you told me to play on my comp-"  
  
"I don't care. I'm changing my mind. Go, GIR!"  
  
GIR moaned and headed for the elevator, grumbling.  
  
Zim sighed and climbed back under the console. He was trying to repair the base's communication system. He had tried, a few hours ago, to contact the Tallest, only to find a circuit had shorted out. He was in the process of replacing it at the moment.  
  
When the new circuit was finally in place, Zim stood up and brushed himself off. Not wanting to waste any more time, he immediately contacted the Massive. His antennae twitched in surprise when the screen displayed the Irken symbol and a computerized voice chimed, "We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by."  
  
Zim grunted irritably. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. He strode over to another project on the other side of the room. He was updating his Voot Runner's engines, and the thrusters were sitting in a heap in his lab. He was almost done with the modifications and decided to kill time while waiting for the Tallest by finishing it up.  
  
*************  
  
Dib muttered to himself as he fiddled with his new night vision goggles. It was late at night and he was walking to Zim's house, planning on using his goggles for some spy work. The high-tech goggles had come in the mail that day, and Dib was trying to figure out all the nuances of the device's telescoping action on his way to his nemesis' base.  
  
Dib slipped the goggles onto his face and looked around. He zoomed in on a roosting owl experimentally, grinning with satisfaction at the data that streamed into his field of vision.  
  
"Cool! These are even fancier than I expected," he said to himself.  
  
He paused and lifted the goggles from his eyes. He stood silently for a moment. Had he heard something? He dismissed the thought and continued down the street, still playing with his goggles and daydreaming about Zim's capture. He was sure his new gadget would give him an advantage, as Zim wouldn't be safe from his prowling eyes at night anymore.  
  
He had only gone about a block when he spun around to look behind him. He KNEW he had heard something this time. He looked around and realized that the sound had come from a nearby alley. He put his goggles on to see into the dark alley and crept up to it slowly.  
  
He sat crouched at the mouth of the alley for a moment, undecided on his course of action. He waited silently, straining his ears for the slightest sound. He scanned the darkness with his goggles, finding little more than a few trash cans and a broken crate. He had just decided he must have just heard a cat and stood up to leave when a trash can tipped over, causing the person who had been hiding behind it to yelp loudly.  
  
Dib nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. He jumped back as someone shot out of alley, pushed past him, and raced down the street. Dib ran after the stranger, who was heading toward Zim's base. He was quickly catching up, as the stranger seemed to be injured and kept stumbling. Passing under a streetlamp, Dib saw his prey's green skin and realized who it must be. "Zim!"  
  
The Irken stopped and spun around, regarding Dib with wide eyes. Dib gasped and skidded to a halt when he saw the alien, too shocked to resume pursuit when it suddenly ran off again. His mind raced as he processed what he just saw. That was NOT Zim.  
  
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That was kinda like a prologue too. o.O So, does it suck yet? Do you want more? Do you care? Well, I'm too tired to do any more right now, so I'll go post it now.  
  
Remember to please, please, please review and tell me what you think so far. 


	3. Tanis

OMG! I was soooooo stuck on this chapter until I tried writing it in script format first. That really helped.  
  
Thanks, everyone, for reviewing my first chaps. It was really encouraging. Especially you, Katrina Irene, for falling into my trap. BWAHAHAHAHA!  
  
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GIR sat on the couch, watching the Scary Monkey Show and chewing on a cheese stick. He had quickly forgotten about Doom and cheered right up when he realized his favorite show was on. He was so enthralled with the program, he hardly noticed when someone knocked on the door. He ignored it until, a few minutes later, the knock came again, much more urgently this time.  
  
GIR jumped off the couch and walked over to the door.  
  
"Who is it?" he asked in a singsong voice.  
  
There was a pause before a timid female voice answered, "I'm an Irken civilian. I need help."  
  
GIR opened the door to reveal a small Irken female. He thought she looked a lot like Zim; she was the same height and had wide crimson eyes with long green eyelashes. She wore a navy blue shirt and her long, curled antennae poked out from the back of a navy blue cap. A logo with a pale blue planet and the word 'Foodcourtia' was printed across the front of her shirt and cap, revealing her occupation as a Foodcourtia delivery Irken. GIR didn't notice the blood staining her uniform.  
  
"Um...You're a SIR unit, aren't you?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Is your master here?"  
  
GIR nodded.  
  
The female watched the little android expectantly, apparently expecting him to say something else. He didn't, so she asked, "Can I talk to him?"  
  
GIR hopped back over to the couch and sat down. He pointed to the table. "He's in the lab."  
  
The Irken eyed the room curiously before entering. "Computer, take me to the lab," she said as she approached the table. The table slid to the side, revealing the elevator, which she promptly took down to the lower levels.  
  
*************  
  
Zim struck a triumphant pose as he eyed his handiwork. He had finished his modifications to the thrusters and was quit satisfied with his work; his Voot Runner would be able to fly twice as fast now.  
  
Tearing his gaze away from the equipment, he looked over to the communication screen. He seemed to have been waiting a long time and wondered what could be wrong. The Massive had the best engineers on Irk. They should have fixed the problem by now. The only explanation he could think of was that, perhaps, the ship had been attacked. He wasn't really worried, though; the Massive had the best security in the fleet, but that made the extended malfunction all the more mysterious.  
  
Zim's antenna twitched as he heard the elevator descending into the lab. He turned to the source of the noise. "GIR, I thought I told yo-"  
  
He started when he saw the female Irken. Invader instincts taking over, he jumped back and crouched into a combative pose. When he saw her uniform though, he relaxed and straightened back up, confusion written all over his face. "What is this? I never ordered anything from Foodcourtia."  
  
The little female looked a bit uncomfortable. "I know. I'm not here to deliver anything."  
  
Zim looked suspicious again and glared at her, his arms crossed. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What is your business here?"  
  
"My name is Tanis. I crashed her."  
  
Zim's suspicion turned to surprise. "Crashed?"  
  
Tanis nodded. "Listen, I don't know how much you know about the attacks, but we have to get out of here. Soon"  
  
"Attacks? What are you talking about?" Zim was utterly confused now.  
  
Tanis' eyes widened. "You mean, you didn't hear?"  
  
"No!" Zim stomped his foot in frustration. "Now explain yourself, civilian, before I start to get angry!"  
  
Tanis looked at the communication screen timidly, which still displayed the Irken insignia. "Look, we really need to go! I'll explain once we get out of here!"  
  
Zim didn't look at all convinced. "I'm not going anywhere! I have a planet to conquer!"  
  
Getting frantic now, Tanis tugged on Zim's arm. "Come on!"  
  
"No!" Zim angrily pushed the female back and put his hands on his hips. "Tell me what happened, now!"  
  
Tanis pointed at the screen. "The Massive's been taken!"  
  
Zim's eyes went wide. A million thoughts raced through his mind, but the only thing he could say in his state of shock was, "What?"  
  
Tanis waved her finger at the screen excitedly. "By aliens! They'll know where the transmission came from! They'll follow it here! We have to go now, or they'll come for us!"  
  
Zim eyed her dubiously. "Why would they come for us?"  
  
"I don't know," she said, "but I heard the transmission! They said they were going to come after the invaders for Operation Impending Doom II! They're gonna come after us!"  
  
*************  
  
Zim was still somewhat doubtful, but had decided to trust the female, for now. He was crouched behind the Voot Runner, installing the newly modified thrusters. If Tanis was right, they'd have to leave as soon as possible.  
  
"Now," he said, "tell me what exactly happened."  
  
Tanis was sitting nearby, treating the many scratches and bruises from the crash with a medical kit. She looked up from her task at Zim. "I can't tell you much. I was delivering some food to the Tallest. I was just leaving, when the ship was attacked. The aliens had gotten in somehow and to the bridge. There was a big battle but some of us managed to escape-"  
  
"And the Tallest?" Zim asked, looking at her with concern.  
  
Tanis shrugged. "We got separated., The aliens took control of the Massive, but the last time I saw them, they were fine. We were barely able to escape in the Voot Runners; they shot down the escape pods. My runner was hit, though, and I lost steering control. I thought I'd be flying through space forever. It was actually a relief when I crashed." She shuddered at the thought of spending the rest of her life floating through space helplessly.  
  
"What about the aliens?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The aliens!" Zim said, getting annoyed. "What SPECIES were they?"  
  
Realization dawned on Tanis' face. "OH! I don't know, actually. I've never seen them before. They were ugly, though. Big and hunched over." She stood up and demonstrated, holding her hands up like claws. "They had shaggy gray fur, and bald faces with long snouts full of sharp teeth. They had long claws too, and bushy tails."  
  
Zim stood up and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. They sound like Amurans."  
  
"Amurans?"  
  
"One of the races we conquered in Operation Impending Doom I," Zim said. "Though that doesn't really make a lot of sense."  
  
"Why not?" Tanis asked.  
  
Zim ignored Tanis and stood thoughtfully for a moment before turning to GIR, who was busy amusing himself with a slap bracelet. "GIR, get in the Voot Runner!"  
  
GIR happily ran over to the ship. "Yay! We're going to the zoo!"  
  
Zim sighed. "No, GIR. We're not going to the zoo."  
  
"Aw, man!"  
  
"The ship's ready?" Tanis asked.  
  
Zim nodded in reply and climbed into the Voot Runner, followed by Tanis. He pushed a button, opening the roof to allow the ship to take off.  
  
*************  
  
Dib crouched on top of the roof of the house neighboring Zim's base. He had followed the strange alien after he got over his initial shock, determined to find out what was going on.  
  
His eyes widened when he saw the roof open up to reveal an alien ship, occupied by three aliens. The engines started up, and little lights blinked on inside the cockpit.  
  
"Oh, no, Zim," he said, his face set with determination. "You're not getting away THIS time!"  
  
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I really have to say, I'm less than satisfied with this chapter, but I didn't know what else to do with it. I hate my OCs. That's why I never write original stories. I can't make up original characters. Do you guys still like?  
  
Remember to review! 


	4. Explanations

Yeah, I know I probably shouldn't have changed this part, but I didn't like ending the last chap the way I did. *sigh* I wish I had a beta reader.  
  
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Zim tried to stifle a yawn as he leaned back in his chair wearily. He glanced over at GIR and Tanis, who were sitting on the floor, amusing themselves with a game of patty cake. Zim almost wished he was as easily amused; they'd been in space for two months now, and it was amazingly dull.  
  
During the first month, Zim had questioned Tanis over and over about what had happened on the Massive. She didn't know much, and everything she did know, she had already told him at his base.  
  
At the time of the attack, she hadn't quite understood all that was happening until she had got to her Voot Runner and was able to survey the scene from a distance. Much of what they knew about the Amurans and their plan came from a couple of transmissions she had overheard during her escape. The first came from an Amuran from the conquered Massive. It was the message Tanis had told Zim about at his base; it had been an order to some of the other Amurans to capture the invaders. The second had come about a week later, and was a panicked plea for help from an Irken conquered planet. It seemed the Amurans were trying to gain control of the Irken Empire. It also seemed they were succeeding.  
  
Zim shook his head as if trying to dislodge the thoughts. The attacks had occupied most of his thoughts since they left Earth, but it didn't help to think about it. They really didn't know what all was going on, and there wasn't anything they could do about it at the moment.  
  
He looked back over at Tanis and GIR, who had finished playing patty cake and were drawing in a colouring book GIR had kept in his hollow cranium. The little robot has happily filling his page with beavers and cupcakes, while Tanis drew a picture of two baby Irkens. When she finished, she looked up to see Zim watching over her shoulder. She held it up for him to see.  
  
"Aren't babies the cutest?" she asked.  
  
"Uh..." Zim was caught by surprise and wasn't sure what to say. He was spared the effort, though, as Tanis didn't seem interested in an answer. She turned her attention to the drawing, beaming. She usually didn't draw that well.  
  
Zim allowed himself a small smile as she watched her admire her picture. Tanis had been a blessing on the trip. Not only had she kept GIR entertained and out of his way with games and stories, but she also gave him someone to talk to. Something he hadn't realized how much he'd missed until now.  
  
Tanis looked over the top of her paper into space. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, no! They've found us!"  
  
Startled out of his musings, Zim followed her gaze out into space, and was horrified to see three well-armed Voot Cruisers rapidly approaching. He quickly reached for the Voot Runner's controls but decided against trying to run, as two of the Cruisers were soon flanking them and the third was directly in their path. The Cruisers were only twice the size of the Runner, but very powerful, and could easily destroy the tiny ship from their position.  
  
The three companions watched raptly as the third ship slowly approached, still too distant to see it's inhabitants. Zim's claws hovered over the ship's controls, ready to fire at the slightest sign of attack. Tanis' eyes were wide with fear as she hugged GIR tightly. As the ship came closer, two figures could be seen inside.  
  
"HI, SOLDIER GUYS!"  
  
Zim and Tanis jumped at GIR's sudden outburst. The little robot was waving gleefully at the Cruiser's inhabitants, who the duo were utterly relieved to realize, were both Irken. Tanis smiled broadly and waved too, trembling slightly from the terror she had felt just a few moments before. Zim sighed with relief and slumped back in his chair.  
  
The two Irkens in the Cruiser watched them quizzically. They talked amongst themselves for a moment and Zim twitched an antenna, wondering what they were saying about their find. One of the Irkens pushed a button on his ship's console and his voice could be heard over the Voot Runner's communications system.  
  
"This is Gin with the Irken rebel forces. Identify yourself."  
  
Zim leaned forward in his seat and eyed Gin suspiciously. "I am Invader Zim. What are these 'rebel forces' you speak of? Are you rebelling against Amuran or Irken power?"  
  
Gin ignored the question and cut off communications to talk to the other Irken. They seemed to be arguing about something. After a moment of discussion, Gin addressed the inhabitants of the Runner.  
  
"Follow us," he ordered in clipped tones.  
  
Tanis looked slightly alarmed. She hadn't thought of other Irkens as being a possible threat until she saw Zim's suspicion, but she didn't say anything as Zim reluctantly turned the Voot Runner to follow the now retreating Cruisers.  
  
Two of the Cruisers still flanked the Runner as they flew silently on and Zim's eyes widened in surprise when he realized why. After just a few moments travel, they had come upon a tiny fleet of mismatched Irken ships. He supposed the Cruisers were the fleet's defense.  
  
*************  
  
Zim paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back, muttering angrily about 'foolish rebels'. Under the watchful eye of their armed escort, he had been forced to dock the Voot Runner on the fleet's only large ship. Armed guards had promptly split him up from GIR and Tanis. The room they'd then taken him to was dark and bare, except for a small cot. No one had been willing to tell him anything. It had been eight months since the attack on the Massive, and what worried him the most was that he didn't know what had happened since then. He had no idea what state the Irken Empire was in at the moment, or even if he'd just been found by friends or captured by enemies.  
  
He lifted his head up as he heard the door open and was relieved to see Tanis and GIR come in, followed by a tall, red eyed Irken. GIR ran up to his master and gave him a tight, affectionate hug. Tanis followed, but clutched her cap tightly in her claws and danced from foot to foot in excitement. Zim understood her excitement when he saw the Irken she had come in with. He looked a lot like Tallest Red, though about half a foot shorter. His armour was also similar to the Tallest's, though he wore leg armour instead of a hover skirt.  
  
The small invader was surprised to recognize the tall Irken. He stood straight and saluted smartly. "General Rix!"  
  
The general smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. "Hello, Invader. I expect you've been treated well?"  
  
He hadn't been treated badly, really, so he nodded. Besides, he didn't think it prudent to complain.  
  
"Good," the tall Irken said. He indicated Tanis. "Your friend here has told me all about your little trip. I suppose you'll want some answers?"  
  
"Yes, of course." Both shorter Irkens perked their antennae forward and watched the general with wide-eyed expectation.  
  
Rix scratched the back of his neck and peered back at them silently for a moment, as if trying to decide how to word what he was about to say next.  
  
"Well, as you know," he said, "the Amurans attacked and took control of the Massive. What you don't know is that they also took almost the entire Armada."  
  
Zim and Tanis' eyes widened. The Massive was extremely powerful by itself, but control of the entire fleet must have made the Amurans virtually unstoppable.  
  
"It doesn't end there," Rix continued. He scowled as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "Those FURBALLS used our own ships to gain control of the Empire.  
  
"They rounded all our people up and took them back to Irk. Anyone and everyone with any military or political status was executed, including invaders." He looked at Zim severely. "I myself would certainly be dead by now if I hadn't escaped in the first attack.  
  
"Only a few ships in the fleet escaped, though we were scattered in the chaos of battle. Some were later caught, but the rest of us were able to hide and form a resistance. Some citizens were also able to escape and join us but were still a very small force."  
  
Rix silently watched Zim and Tanis' reactions as he finished. Both Irkens seemed shocked. They knew the attacks had been a terrible blow to the empire, but hadn't known just HOW terrible. Zim looked the most confused by the news.  
  
"I don't understand. When we conquered their planet, we destroyed their military forces! We barely left any alive; they were totally defeated! How could they have accomplished this?! And what about the Tallest? Are they still alive?"  
  
An odd, unreadable expression crossed the general's face as the two shorter Irkens looked up at him questioningly, almost fearfully.  
  
"As far as the Tallest go," he said, "I don't know. As I said, everyone was scattered in the attack. I've not heard anything from them, but, in our current situation, it wouldn't surprise me if they and the rest of our surviving fleet are safe and in hiding somewhere.  
  
"What's much more concerning is the circumstances of our defeat. You're right, Zim, they shouldn't have won, and I hope you understand our caution when we first found you, but we had to be sure you weren't a threat."  
  
Zim looked like he was insulted by the suggestion that he could be a threat to his own empire, but didn't say anything.  
  
"How, then?" Tanis asked. "How DID they win?"  
  
Rix sighed. "Tactics, for one thing. They snuck a small force onto each of our large ships and attacked at the same time. Our guard was down and they were able to take many of our ships before we knew what was happening. Of course, they wouldn't have been able to do that much if they hadn't had help."  
  
Zim and Tanis looked both bewildered and alarmed at the general's last statement.  
  
"At the time of the attack, the Amurans had already had a small number of ships and weapons, not to mention the codes for the security systems on our ships. All things considered, this can only mean that someone - someone of fairly high rank or status - has betrayed our empire."  
  
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I'll beg for reviews now. *gets on knees* Please, please review!  
  
  
  
Now, if you've made it this far, who do you want the next chapter to be about? Dib or the Tallest? The next two chapters will be about them, but which do you want first? 


	5. The Tallest

Well, I've updated at last. Sorry I took so long, but I was trapped for two months in a dark, dreary world known to it's victims as the 'Upward Bound Math and Science Program'. I'll probably be a while updating again since I'm lacking motivation at the moment.  
  
BIG Thanks to Narcotics for being a wonderful person and beta-reading this for me! It would have been a horrible chap without her.  
  
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It was a quiet night in the forest. A large, pale moon rose high in the dark sky. A wide, flowing river wound it's way across the landscape, passing at one point near an open field. The expansive wilderness would have had a look of perfect seclusion if not for this relatively small piece of land, which held the entire planet's only signs of civilization.  
  
Three small life rafts sat on the river's bank, and the nearby field was crowded with an array of domed shelters and small ships; an Irken rebel camp. Though the field had more than enough room, these structures were packed together toward the center, as if the aliens that put them there were afraid of the forest. Though most of the Irkens camped there were asleep, armed soldiers marched through the camp, eyes peeled for any sign of danger.  
  
A door opened on one of the shelters, splashing light on a passing guard. He blinked in the bright light before moving out of the way as Tallest Purple stepped out into the cold night air. He was carrying three small food containers, and barely glanced at the smaller Irken as he marched purposefully toward the edge of camp.   
  
In a clear part of the field, Red was trying to build a bonfire. He was kneeling next to a packing crate, stacking firewood inside a circle of stone. Purple set the food next to the crate before sitting down across from him Indian-style. Both Tallest were wearing leg armor instead of their usual hover-skirts, which allowed for more flexibility.  
  
Purple picked up a long, clean stick and stuck a marshmallow from one of the containers on it. He rested his claws in his lap as he waited for his partner to light the fire. Red rummaged through the crate for something to light the fire and pulled out a flare gun. He glanced back in the crate, but seemed to be satisfied with what he already had, as it soon held his whole attention. He smiled mischievously as he leaned back and aimed.  
  
Purple's eyes widened with alarm when he realized what he was doing. "Wait a minute! I don't think-"  
  
He was interrupted by the boom of the flare gun being fired into the unlit bonfire. He yelped in surprise and jumped back as bits of timber and hot red sparks flew in his direction. The flare lit half the field a bright red as it burned and sizzled, catching fire to the wood.  
  
A group of soldiers saw the red light and came hurrying to see what had happened, but Purple angrily waved them away. They seemed somewhat confused, but obeyed as he stomped out a flame on a piece of smoldering wood so it wouldn't catch fire to the grass.  
  
Red's eyes were wide and he was holding his claws over his mouth in a vain attempt to stop himself from laughing at his partner. Purple crossed his arms and glared dangerously at him.   
  
"You think that's real funny, do you?" he demanded.  
  
Red shook his head vigorously but couldn't keep his face straight.  
  
Purple's scowl deepened. "Why do you always have to be such an idiot? Can't you ever think before you do something?"  
  
Red stopped smiling and looked somewhat offended, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he looked down at the ground for a few moments before picking up a stick, which he slowly started to put marshmallows on.  
  
Seeing that Red was just going to ignore him if he continued to scold, Purple sighed and sat back down. He picked his own stick back up and started roasting his marshmallow.  
  
They were a few moments of awkward silence before Red finally spoke. "How much longer do you think we're going to stay here? We've already been here a month."  
  
"We still don't have all the equipment fixed," Purple said. "Once we get our ships and weapons ready, we'll be able to start fighting the Amurans."   
  
"But what about the Dreadnaught? Shouldn't we be look for it first?"  
  
Purple scoffed. "All the other major ships have been accounted for months ago. It was probably destroyed when the Amurans first attacked."  
  
Red looked miffed at his partner's lack of optimism. "Well, we don't have any of those 'major ships'," he said in a slightly mocking tone. "It can't hurt to look. We can't fight the Amurans with just what we have here." He gestured toward their small, grounded fleet. "The forces we have now are pathetic. We need more ships."  
  
"I realize that, but we have no other choice. It's is all we have."  
  
He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Red. "Think you've got enough there?"  
  
"Huh?" Red, who was in the process of stabbing a marshmallow on his stick, looked down at what he was doing. His antennae twitched upward in surprise when he realized he'd covered the stick with marshmallows while talking with Purple. The one he was holding wouldn't fit, so he popped it in his mouth and started roasting the rest.  
  
Purple narrowed his eyes. "You're such a pig."  
  
Red imitated his friend's expression. "So are you. You're the one who ate that entire tray of cupcakes at the last party we went to."   
  
Purple smirked at the memory. "Yeah. Well, you drank an entire bottle of wine by yourself."  
  
"That was strong stuff. I don't think I've ever been that drunk before."  
  
"I've certainly never seen you that drunk before. I almost died when you jumped up on that table and started stripping."   
  
Red blushed but started cracking up. "So did Bes! Did you see the look on her face?"   
  
Purple laughed. "I did! It was like her dream come true! I thought her eyes were gonna pop out of their sockets!"  
  
"That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!"  
  
"Yeah. That was a great party. I couldn't believe it when Rix got that stick out of his butt long enough to sing some karayoke."   
  
Red nodded as he started to munch on his marshmallows. "You know, I usually hate karayoke, but that was pretty entertaining."  
  
The duo exchanged glances before quietly turning their attention toward their food. The mention of the General's name seemed to have sobered them up. Red slowly ate his marshmallows one at a time while Purple started roasting a new one.  
  
"Do you think he's still alive?" Red eventually asked.  
  
Purple shrugged. "I think he was on the Dreadnaught when the Armada was attacked. We can't be sure about him until we know what happened to his ship. I hope he's okay. Somebody had to have helped the Amurans, and if anyone can figure out who did it, he can."   
  
"He's clever like that," Red agreed. "And with his temper, I'd hate to see what he'd do to whoever did it."  
  
"Unless HE did it," Purple quietly suggested. He didn't looked skeptical at his own statement, but they really had no idea who the traitor was.  
  
Red didn't say anything, but looked contemplative as he finished off his snack and licked the stickiness off his claws. He shifted uncomfortably, and turned to face away from the packing crate to lean his back against it. He didn't notice the flare gun was hanging halfway off its perch on top. His backpod nudged it and it fell to the ground. The gun banged loudly as it went off, making Red yelp in surprise.  
  
Purple looked up from the fire to see the flare fly into the brush of the nearby forest. "What did you do?"  
  
Red's eyes were wide. "It wasn't me!"  
  
Both Tallest were alarmed to see the flare had gone deep into the woods and caught fire to one of the trees. They could hear animals calling out in fright. The guards had seen what happened and were standing uncertainly at the edge of the camp.  
  
Purple looked the situation over for a moment before turning to Red. "We don't have any fire-fighting equipment," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Red nodded in reply. He and Purple had worked together for many years and worked together like a well-oiled machine. They didn't have to say anything to each other to know their plan of action.  
  
With an air of stern authority, Red marched over to the guards and started giving orders to clear the camp before the fire reached it. His violet-eyed partner looked back at the fire once more before heading back to their shelter to get their things together.  
  
The field was soon a flurry of activity as Irkens raced to break camp. Many had been asleep when the order to move out was given and were still in their pajamas. Soldiers were taking down the shelters, which compacted themselves into small cylinders, while civilians hurriedly packed equipment onto the ships.  
  
Purple was putting an armload of documents and supplies in a Voot Cruiser when he heard someone yell in warning. He looked up to see a large, rhino-like animal lumber into the camp. The creature had been chased into the clearing by the fire and seemed frightened and confused by the noisy Irkens. It waved the forked horn on its nose threateningly. A group of civilians stood uncertainly on either side of it, out of its reach but afraid to run.  
  
The beast turned to the nearest individual and lowered its head to charge, when something heavy and hard cracked across its brow. It stepped back and lowed in pain and fury. Red stood in a battle ready stance in front of it, holding a long, thick stick in his claws like a staff.   
  
"Get out of here, now!" he ordered. The smaller Irkens ran to safety. The beast turned it attention back to them as they retreated, but Red waved his arms at it. "Over here, stupid!"  
  
The beast bellowed and charged at him. Greatly outmatched in both size and strength, he dropped the stick and ran. Everyone scattered as it chased him to the edge of the camp, where he jumped on top of a Voot Runner. He was now out of the creature's reach, but it didn't let that deter it. It rammed its head into the ship's side, making it teeter. Red gasped and waved his arms as he tried to keep his balance.   
  
Purple shoved a small, green-eyed soldier out of his way in his hurry to get to his partner's aide. He got to the scene just as the beast tipped the Runner over, ripping a hole in the fuel tank with its long horn. Red grunted as he fell hard to the ground. Purple grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet, afraid that the creature would charge again. They backed away from the creature slowly and carefully, but it did little more than paw the ground and grunt menacingly.  
  
Red quickly looked their situation over and was alarmed to see that not only was their way back to camp blocked by the menacing beast, but the fuel pouring from the Runner's ruptured tank was seeping toward the nearby forest fire. He frantically looked around for an escape route. The trees directly behind them hadn't caught fire yet, so he grabbed Purple by the arm and ran for it.  
  
Purple hadn't seen the danger they were in from the leaking fuel. He was somewhat confused but thought it best not to argue with his stronger cohort. His confusion quickly turned to fear, however, as he realized they were heading for the river. He had fallen in on their first day on the planet and had been afraid of the strange, burning liquid since. He tried to dig his heals in, but Red would have none of it.  
  
The crimson-eyed Tallest picked up his protesting partner and tossed him into one of the life rafts that had been left on the bank. He quickly shoved the raft into the water before jumping in himself. Momentum carried them toward the middle of the river, where the current picked them up and swept them downstream.  
  
Purple was bewildered with his behavior and was sputtering with a mixture of confusion, fear, and anger.  
  
"Red! What are you doing? We should be at the base, helping break camp! Why are we-"  
  
He was cut off by an enormous series of explosions. Both Tallest ducked and covered their antennae as brilliant white light lit the forest and the ground shook from the force of the blast.   
  
As the light and noise slowly died away, the Tallest cautiously raised their heads and surveyed the scene in silent awe. Smoke was rising from what had been their camp. They couldn't see how much damage had been done from their raft, but they knew whoever was still in the field during the explosion was almost certainly dead.  
  
In his haste, Red had forgotten to get something to control the raft with, so they had not choice but to allow the current to carry them on. They huddled miserably on the floor of the raft with their backs against each other.  
  
Purple sighed and hugged his knees to his chest. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He grimly wondered how many of their comrades had escaped before the explosion and wished that it could have somehow been avoided.  
  
After almost an our of contemplative silence he said, "I blame you for this".  
  
"Awww. I hate you too, Pur."  
  
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Please review! Motivate me! Let me know you still care! 


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